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casion shall require, as neither unlawful, nor unbeseeming an historian.

SECT. VII.

The conspiracy against Athaliah.

WHEN Athaliah had now six years and longer worn the crown of Judah, and had found neither any foreign enemy, nor domestic adversary to disturb her possession, suddenly the period of her glory and reward of her wickedness meeting together, took her away without any warning, by a violent and shameful death. For the growth of the young prince began to be such, as permitted him no longer to be concealed; and it had been very unfitting that his education should be simple, to make him seem the child of some poor man, as for his safety it was requisite, when his capacity required, to have been endued with the stomach and qualities meet for a king. All this Jehoiada, the priest, considered, and withal the great increase of impiety, which taking deep root in the court, was likely to spread itself over all the country, if care were not used to weed it up very speedily. Wherefore he associated unto himself five of the captains, in whose fidelity he had best assurance; and having taken an oath of them, and shewn them the king's son, he made a covenant with them to advance him to the kingdom. These drew in others of the principal men to countenance the action, proposing at the first only, that they should repair to Jerusalem, where they were further acquainted with the whole matter. There needed not many persuasions to win them to the business; the promise of the Lord unto the house of David, was enough to assure them, that the action was both lawful, and likely to succeed as they desired.

But, in compassing their intent, some difficulties appeared. For it was not to be hoped, that with open force they should bring their purpose to good issue;

neither were the captains and other associates of Jehoiada able, by close working, to draw together so many trusty and serviceable hands, as would suffice to manage the business. To help in this case, the priest gave order to such of the Levites as had finished their courses in waiting on the divine service at the temple, and were now relieved by others that succeeded in their turns, that they should not depart until they knew his farther pleasure. So by admitting the new comers, and not discharging the old, he had, without any noise, made up such a number as would be able to deal with the queen's ordinary guard; and that was enough: for if the tyranness did not prevail against them at the first brunt, the favour of the people was like to shew itself on their side who made head against her. These Levites were placed in the inner court of the temple, about the person of the king, who as yet was kept close; the followers of the captains, and other adherents, were bestowed in the outer courts. As for weapons, the temple itself had store enough; king David had left an armoury to the place, which was now employed to the defence of his issue.

All things being in a readiness, and the day come wherein this high design was to be put in execution, Jehoiada delivered unto the captains, armour for them and their adherents, appointed a guard unto the king's person, produced him openly, and gave unto him the crown; using all ceremonies accustomed in such solemnities, with great applause of the people. Of these doings the queen was the last that heard any word; which is not so strange as it may seem; for insolent natures, by dealing outrageously with such as bring them ill tidings, do commonly lose the benefit of hearing what is to be feared, whilst yet it may be prevented, and have no information of danger, till their own eyes, amazed with the suddenness, behold it in the shape of inevitable mischief.

All Jerusalem was full of the rumour, and entertained it with very good liking. Some carried home

the news, others ran forth to see, and the common joy was so great, that without apprehension of peril, under the windows of the court, were the people running and praising the king'. Athaliah hearing and beholding the extraordinary concourse, and noise of folks in the streets, making towards the temple, with much unusual passion in their looks, did presently conceive, that somewhat worthy of her care had happened; though what it might be she did not apprehend. Howsoever it were, she meant to use her own wisdom in looking into the matter, and ordering all as the occasion might happen to require. It may be, that she thought it some especial solemnity used in the divine service, which caused this much ado; and hereof the unaccustomed number of Levites, and of other devout men about the town, might give some presumption.

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Many things argue, that she little thought upon her own tragedy; although Josephus would make it seem otherwise. For we find in the text, She came 'to the people into the house of the Lord',' (which was near to her palace,) and that when she looked and saw the king stand by his pillar, as the manner was, with the princes, or great men of the land by him, she rent her clothes, and cried, treason! treason!" Hereby it appears, that she was quietly going, without any mistrust or fear, to take her place; which, when she found occupied by another, then she began to afflict herself, as one cast away, and cried out in vain upon the treason whereby she saw that she must perish. But that she came with a guard of armed men to the temple, (as Josephus reporteth,) and that her company being beaten back, she entered alone, and commanded the people to kill the young tyrant, I find no where in scripture, neither do I hold it credible. For had she truly known how things went, she would surely have gathered her friends about her, and used those forces in defence of her crown, by

1 2 Chron. xxiii. 12. 2 2 Chron. xxiii. 12, 13. 2 Kings xi. 13, 14

which she got it, and hitherto had held it. Certainly, if it were granted, that she, like a new Semiramis, did march in the head of her troop, yet it had been mere madness in her to enter the place alone, when her assistants were kept out: But if she, perceiving that neither her authority, nor their own weapons, could prevail to let in her guard, would nevertheless take upon her to command the death of the new king; calling a child of seven years old a conspirator, and bidding them to kill him, whom she saw to be armed in his defence,-may we not think that she was mad in the most extreme degree? Certain it is, that the counsel of God would have taken effect in her destruction, had she used the most likely means to disappoint it; yet we need not so cut her throat with any moral impossibilities. It is enough to say, that the godly zeal of Jehoiada found more easy success, through her indiscretion, than otherwise could have been expected; so that at his appointment she was, without more ado, carried out of the temple and slain; yea so, that no blood save her own was shed in that quarrel; her small train, that she brought along with her, not daring to stand in her defence.

SECT. VIII.

The death of Athaliah, with a comparison of her and Jezebel.

Most like it is, that Athaliah had many times, with great indignation, bewailed the rashness of her nephew Jehoram, the Israelite, who did foolishly cast himself into the very throat of danger, gaping upon him, only through his eager desire of quickly knowing what the matter meant; yet she herself, by the like bait, was taken in the like trap, and having lived such a life as Jezebel had done, was rewarded with a suitable death. These two queens were in many points much alike; each of them was daughter,

wife, and mother, to a king; each of them ruled her husband; was an idolatress, and a murderess. The only difference appearing in their conditions is, that Jezebel is more noted as incontinent of body, Athaliah as ambitious: so that each of them, surviving her husband about eight years, did spend the time in satisfying her own affections; the one using tyranny as the exercise of her haughty mind; the other painting her face, for the ornament of her unchaste body. In the manner of their death, little difference there was, or in those things which may seem in this world to pertain unto the dead when they are gone. Each of them was taken on the sudden by conspirators, and each of them exclaiming upon the treason, received sentence from the mouth of one that had lived under her subjection; in execution whereof, Jezebel was trampled under the feet of her enemies horses, Athaliah slain at her own horse-gate: the death of Athaliah having, (though not much,) the more leisure to vex her proud heart; that of Jezebel, the more indignity, and shame of body. Touching their burial, Jezebel was devoured by dogs, as the Lord had threatened by the prophet Elias; what became of Athaliah, we do not find. Like enough it is that she was buried, as having not persecuted and slain the Lord's prophets, but suffered the priests to exercise their function; yet of her burial there is no monument; for she was a church-robber. The service of Baal, erected by these two queens, was destroyed as soon as they were gone; and their chaplains, the priests of that religion, slain. Herein also it came to pass alike, as touching them both when they were dead; the kings who slew them, were afterwards afflicted, both of them by the same hand of Hazael, the Syrian; in which point Athaliah had the greater honour, if the Syrian, (who seems to have been her good friend,) pretended her revenge, as any part of his quarrel to Judah. Concerning children, all belonging to Jezebel perished in a few days after her;

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